Timing Adjustment Method for Radar, and Radar Apparatus Having Automatic Timing Adjusting Function

ABSTRACT

On/off timing of an amplifier and timing of antenna selection are accurately adjusted. When adjusting the on/off timing of the amplifier, modulation of a transmit signal is stopped, and a switch is set so as not to select any one of the antennas, thereby totally reflecting the transmit signal; in this condition, the timing is controlled so that the average value of the output level of a mixer becomes a minimum. When adjusting the antenna selection timing, modulation of the transmit signal is stopped, and a reflective object is placed in close proximity to the antenna; in this condition, the timing is adjusted so that the average value of the output level of the mixer becomes a maximum.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/137,203, filed on May 24, 2005, which claims priority of JapanesePatent Application No. 2004-183628, filed on Jun. 22, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for adjusting amplifier on/offcontrol timing and antenna selection control timing in a radar and, inparticular, in an FM-CW radar that uses a duplexer, and also relates toa radar apparatus having an automatic timing adjusting function.

2. Description of the Related Art

An FM-CW radar projects forward a transmit wave frequency-modulated by atriangular wave, produces a beat signal by mixing a reflected wave froma target with a portion of the transmit wave in a mixer, and computesthe distance and relative velocity of the target simultaneously from thebeat frequencies produced during the increasing section and thedecreasing section of the triangular wave. Such radars are commerciallyimplemented as automotive radars.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-122661 describes anFM-CW radar that uses a single antenna for both transmission andreception, by using a duplexer, and discloses that a bias voltage to atransmitting amplifier and a bias voltage to a receiving amplifier areturned on and off in alternating fashion in order to prevent thetransmit wave from leaking into the receiving side in the duplexer andinterfering with the received signal.

In this case, if the end point of the ON period of the transmittingamplifier is separated from the start point of the ON period of thereceiving amplifier by, for example, 3.3 nsec or more, reflected wavesfrom a target located within a range of 1 m cannot be captured, and thusthe short-range detection performance degrades. Conversely, if the endpoint of the ON period of the transmitting amplifier overlaps the startpoint of the ON period of the receiving amplifier, the transmit signalleaks, which increases noise in the short-range detection area and mayresult in the detection of a false target. If the leakage of thetransmit signal becomes excessively large, a device failure may result.Accordingly, the relative timing of the two amplifiers must beaccurately adjusted.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-160423 disclosesan FM-CW radar employing a DBF (Digital Beam Forming) method thatsequentially switches between a plurality of receiving antennas anddetermines the target direction by detecting the phase differencebetween the reflected waves received from the same target. JapaneseUnexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-155171 discloses how an effectequivalent to using more receiving antennas than actually used, can beachieved by using a plurality of receiving antennas in an DBF system.Further, though not published at the time of this patent application,Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-164122 discloses a radar apparatusthat achieves further reductions in size and weight by using a pluralityof antennas for both transmission and reception in a DBF system.

In connection with the foregoing, if a configuration such as shown inFIG. 1, in which a duplexer 14 is used in conjunction with a switch 12that selects one of a plurality of antennas 10 for transmission orreception and if the on/off timing of the transmitting amplifier 16 andthe receiving amplifier 18 can be adjusted accurately as shown in parts(a) and (b) of FIG. 2 by some kind of means, it is still necessary tomake the timing for setting the switch 12 to select the transmittingantenna or the receiving antenna (parts (c), (d), and (e)) match theon/off timing of the transmitting amplifier 16 and the receivingamplifier 18.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide amethod for accurately adjusting on/off timing in a radar in which aduplexer is used and a transmitting amplifier and a receiving amplifierare turned on and off in alternating fashion, and to provide a radarapparatus having an automatic timing adjusting function for implementingsuch a method.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide a method foraccurately adjusting on/off timing of an amplifier and antenna selectiontiming of an antenna selecting switch in a radar in which a duplexer isused in conjunction with the antenna selecting switch.

According to the present invention, there is provided a timingadjustment method for use in a radar comprising a transmitting amplifierfor amplifying a transmit signal, a receiving amplifier for amplifying areceived signal, a duplexer, connected to an output side of thetransmitting amplifier, an input side of the receiving amplifier, and anantenna, for permitting alternate use of the antenna for bothtransmission and reception, and a mixer for mixing a portion of thetransmit signal with the received signal, the timing adjustment methodfor adjusting timing for turning on and off the transmitting amplifierand the receiving amplifier in alternating fashion, comprising the stepsof: stopping modulation of the transmit signal; generating a timeaverage of a voltage level output from the mixer; adjusting, afterstopping the modulation, relative on/off timing of the transmittingamplifier and the receiving amplifier so that the time average becomesminimum.

When modulation of the transmit signal is stopped, a DC levelcorresponding to the phase difference between the transmit waveconsisting only of a carrier and the received wave is output from themixer during the period that the transmitting amplifier and thereceiving amplifier are both ON; on the other hand, during the periodthat either one is OFF, the output is a zero level. Accordingly, byadjusting the timing so that the time average of the output levelbecomes minimum, the on/off timing of the amplifiers can be accuratelyadjusted.

By setting a 1:N switch so as not to select any one of the antennas and,thereby, totally reflecting the transmit signal to the receiving side,or by placing a reflective object in close proximity to the antenna, theadjustment can be achieved with higher accuracy without relying on aleakage signal in the duplexer.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a timingadjustment method for use in a radar comprising a transmitting amplifierfor amplifying a transmit signal, a receiving amplifier for amplifying areceived signal, a duplexer connected to an output side of thetransmitting amplifier and an input side of the receiving amplifier, anumber N of antennas, a 1:N switch, provided between the duplexer andthe N antennas, for selecting one of the N antennas and connecting theselected antenna to the duplexer, and a mixer for mixing a portion ofthe transmit signal with the received signal, the timing adjustmentmethod for adjusting timing for turning on and off the transmittingamplifier and timing for antenna selection in the 1:N switch comprisingthe steps of: stopping modulation of the transmit signal; setting thereceiving amplifier always ON; generating a time average of a voltagelevel output from the mixer; and adjusting, after stopping themodulation and setting the receiving amplifier always ON, the timing ofthe antenna selection in the 1:N switch relative to the turning on andoff of the transmitting amplifier so that the time average becomesmaximum.

When modulation of the transmit signal is stopped, and the receivingamplifier is set always ON, a DC level corresponding to the phasedifference between the transmit wave consisting only of a carrier andthe reflected wave from a target is output from the mixer during theperiod that the transmitting amplifier is ON and any one of the antennasis selected; during other periods, the output is at zero level.Accordingly, by adjusting the timing so that the time average of theoutput level becomes maximum, the period that the transmitting amplifieris ON and the period that the antenna is selected can be made toprecisely coincide with each other.

By placing a reflective object in close proximity to the antenna, theadjustment can be achieved with higher accuracy without being affectedby a leakage signal in the duplexer.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a radarapparatus having an automatic timing adjusting function, comprising: atransmitting amplifier for amplifying a transmit signal; a receivingamplifier for amplifying a received signal, the receiving amplifierbeing turned on and off alternately with the transmitting amplifier; aduplexer, connected to an output side of the transmitting amplifier, aninput side of the receiving amplifier, and an antenna, for permittingalternate use of the antenna for both transmission and reception; amixer for mixing a portion of the transmit signal with the receivedsignal; means for stopping modulation of the transmit signal; means forgenerating a time average of a voltage level output from the mixer; andmeans for adjusting, after stopping modulation of the transmit signal,relative on/off timing of the transmitting amplifier and the receivingamplifier so that the time average becomes minimum.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a radarapparatus having an automatic timing adjusting function, comprising: atransmitting amplifier for amplifying a transmit signal; a receivingamplifier for amplifying a received signal; a duplexer connected to anoutput side of the transmitting amplifier and an input side of thereceiving amplifier; a number N of antennas; a 1:N switch, providedbetween the duplexer and the N antennas, for selecting one of the Nantennas and connecting the selected antenna to the duplexer; a mixerfor mixing a portion of the transmit signal with the received signal;means for stopping modulation of the transmit signal; means for settingthe receiving amplifier always ON; means for generating a time averageof a voltage level output from the mixer; and means for adjusting, afterstopping the modulation and setting the receiving amplifier always ON,the timing of the antenna selection in the 1:N switch relative to theturning on and off of the transmitting amplifier so that the timeaverage becomes maximum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a radar to whichthe present invention is to be applied;

FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the radar ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one configuration example of a radarapparatus to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a timing adjusting process as a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a timing chart for various parts in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a timing adjusting process as asecond embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a timing chart for various parts in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 3 shows one configuration example of a DBF (Digital Beam Forming)FM-CW radar which uses a duplexer and an antenna selecting switch, andto which the present invention is applied. Here, it will be understoodthat present invention is also applicable to a radar that employs a DBFmethod.

In FIG. 3, a triangular wave signal as a frequency controlling signal issupplied from a signal processor 20 to a voltage-controlled oscillator(VCO) 24 via a D/A converter 22. The transmit signal frequency-modulatedby the triangular wave, output from the VCO 24, is supplied via a hybrid26 to a multiplier 28 where it is multiplied to produce a millimeterwave, which is then amplified by a transmitting amplifier 16, fedthrough a hybrid 14 acting as a duplexer, and transmitted out from theone of antennas 10 that is selected by a switch 12.

Reflected waves returned from a target are received by the antennas 10,and the signal received at the one antenna 10 selected by the switch 12is supplied via the hybrid 14 to a receiving amplifier 18 where thesignal is amplified and supplied to one input of a mixer 32. A portionof the transmit signal, separated by the hybrid 26 and multiplied by amultiplier 34, is supplied to the other input of the mixer 32 where itis mixed with the received signal to produce a beat signal.

The beat signal output from the mixer 32 is supplied via a divider 34 toan amplifier 36 where it is amplified, and the amplified signal ispassed through a low-pass filter 38 and converted by an A/D converter 40into a digital signal which is input to the signal processor 20. Thesignal processor 20 performs an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) operationon the beat signal, and computes the distance and relative velocity ofthe target from the frequencies produced during the increasing sectionand the decreasing section of the triangular wave for the same target.Further, the direction in which the target is located is determined fromthe phase difference between the signals received by the respectiveantennas from the same target.

Bias voltages to the amplifiers 16 and 18 can be turned on and off bymeans of drivers 42 and 44, respectively, the drivers 42 and 44 beingcontrolled by control signals supplied from the signal processor 20 viaphase shifters 46 and 48, respectively. The amounts of phase shift inthe respective phase shifters 46 and 48 are increased or decreased inaccordance with analog signals supplied from the signal processor 20 viaD/A converters 50 and 52, respectively. Likewise, antenna selection inthe switch 12 is controlled by a driver 54, which in turn is controlledby a control signal supplied from the signal processor 20 via a phaseshifter 56; the amount of phase shift in the phase shifter 56 isincreased or decreased in accordance with an analog signal supplied fromthe signal processor 20 via a D/A converter 58.

In the present invention, modulation of the transmit wave is stopped bystopping the triangular wave being supplied from the signal processor 20via the D/A converter 22 to the VCO 24, and the on/off timing of theamplifiers 16 and 18 and the antenna selection timing in the switch 12are adjusted by measuring the DC voltage level that is output at thistime from the mixer and that corresponds to the phase difference betweenthe transmit wave and the received wave. The line leading from thedivider 34 via an amplifier 60, a low-pass filter 62, and an A/Dconverter 64 to the signal processor 20 is provided for measuring the DCvoltage level at this time.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processing preformed in thesignal processor 20 for automatic adjustment of the on/off timing of theamplifiers 16 and 18. To adjust the on/off timing of the amplifiers 16and 18, first, the modulation of the transmit signal is stopped bycausing the digital value being supplied to the D/A converter 22 to stopchanging (step 1000), and the switch 12 is set so as not to select anyone of the antennas, thereby totally reflecting the transmit signal tothe hybrid 14 side input of the switch 12 (step 1002). In this case,during the period that either the transmitting amplifier 16 (see part(a) of FIG. 5) or the receiving amplifier 18 (see part (b)) is OFF, theoutput of the mixer 32 is at zero level as shown in part (c) of FIG. 5,because the received wave is not input to the mixer during the OFFperiod; on the other hand, during the period that both amplifiers areON, a voltage proportional to the phase difference between the transmitwave and the received wave is output. Since the voltage is integratedand averaged over time by the low-pass filter 62 (see part (d)), theon/off timing of the amplifiers should be adjusted so that this averagelevel becomes minimum. Therefore, in step 1004, the level is measured atseveral points by changing the timing around a default value (step1004), and the timing that gives the minimum level is selected (step1006).

This automatic adjustment needs to be performed before shipment of theproduct to accommodate manufacturing variations among products, but mayalso be performed periodically when the vehicle equipped with the radaris stationary in order to correct for variations of the parts over time.Further, to compensate for temperature variations, a temperaturemeasuring means such as a thermistor or a thermocouple for measuring theapparatus temperature may be provided in the radar apparatus, and thetemperature characteristics obtained by obtaining timing adjustmentvalues at various temperatures may be stored in the form of a table,with provisions made to automatically correct the timing adjustmentvalue according to the temperature of the apparatus in operation byusing the temperature characteristics. Furthermore, to compensate forvariations over time of the temperature characteristics, provisions maybe made to correct the temperature characteristics by using therelationship between the timing adjustment value and the value of thetemperature obtained when the vehicle is stationary.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the processing performed in thesignal processor 20, after completion of the automatic adjustment of theon/off timing of the amplifiers 16 and 18, in order to make the ONperiod of the amplifier 16 coincide with the period that any one of theantennas is selected by the switch 12. First, in the same manner as whenadjusting the on/off timing of the amplifiers 16 and 18, modulation ofthe transmit signal is stopped by causing the digital value beingsupplied to the D/A converter 22 to stop changing (step 1100), and areflective object is placed in close proximity to the antenna, forexample, by closing an open/close lid (step 1102). In this case, duringthe period that the transmitting amplifier 16 is ON (see part (a) ofFIG. 7) and one of the antennas is selected by the switch 12 (see part(b)), the mixer 32 outputs a voltage proportional to the phasedifference between the transmitted wave and the received wave, as shownin part (c) of FIG. 7; during other periods, the voltage is at zerolevel (see part (c)). As the voltage is integrated and averaged overtime by the low-pass filter 62 (see part (d)), the selection timing inthe switch 12 should be adjusted so that the average level becomesmaximum. Therefore, in step 1004, the level is measured by changing thetiming at several points centered about a default value (step 1104), andthe timing that gives the maximum level is selected (step 1106).

This automatic adjustment also needs to be performed before shipment ofthe product to accommodate manufacturing variations among products, butmay also be performed periodically when the vehicle equipped with theradar is stationary in order to correct for variations of the parts overtime. Further, to compensate for temperature variations, a temperaturemeasuring means such as a thermistor or a thermocouple for measuring theapparatus temperature may be provided in the radar apparatus, and thetemperature characteristics obtained by obtaining timing adjustmentvalues at various temperatures may be stored in the form of a table,with provisions made to automatically correct the timing adjustmentvalue according to the temperature of the apparatus in operation byusing the temperature characteristics. Furthermore, provisions may alsobe made to correct the temperature characteristics by using therelationship between the timing adjustment value and the value of thetemperature obtained when the vehicle is stationary.

1. A timing adjustment method of adjusting timing for turning on and offa transmitting amplifier and timing for antenna selection in a 1:Nswitch, for use in a radar comprising the transmitting amplifier foramplifying a transmit signal, a receiving amplifier for amplifying areceived signal, a duplexer connected to an output side of saidtransmitting amplifier and an input side of said receiving amplifier, anumber N of antennas, the 1:N switch, provided between said duplexer andsaid N antennas, for selecting one of said N antennas and connectingsaid selected antenna to said duplexer, and a mixer for mixing a portionof said transmit signal with said received signal, said methodcomprising the steps of: (a) stopping modulation of said transmitsignal; (b) setting said receiving amplifier always ON; and (c)adjusting, after said steps (a) and (b), the timing of said antennaselection in said 1:N switch relative to the turning on and off of saidtransmitting amplifier, based on a voltage level output from said mixer.2. A timing adjustment method for use in a radar according to claim 1,further comprising the step of (d) generating a time average of saidvoltage level, wherein in said step (c) said timing is adjusted so thatsaid time average becomes maximum.
 3. A timing adjustment method for usein a radar according to claim 1, further comprising, before said step(c), the step of: (e) placing a reflective object in close proximity toat least one of said N antennas for reflecting a transmitted wave beingradiated from said at least one antenna.
 4. A timing adjustment methodfor use in a radar according to claim 2, wherein said radar furthercomprises: a divider for dividing the output of said mixer between afirst branch path for signal processing for radar, operation and asecond branch path for detection of said voltage level; and a low-passfilter, provided in said second branch path, for generating said timeaverage by integrating said voltage level output from said mixer.
 5. Atiming adjustment method for use in a radar according to claim 1,wherein said radar is an automotive radar, and said step (c) isautomatically executed when a vehicle equipped with said radar isstationary.
 6. A timing adjustment method for use in a radar accordingto claim 1, wherein said radar further comprises a temperature measuringmeans for measuring a temperature, and wherein said method furthercomprises the steps of: (e) prestoring relations between a plurality ofadjustment values for said timing, obtained at different temperatures,and said temperatures; and (f) automatically adjusting said timing basedon said prestored relations between said timing adjustment values andsaid temperatures and on the temperature measured by said temperaturemeasuring means.
 7. A timing adjustment method for use in a radaraccording to claim 1, wherein said radar is an automotive radar, saidstep (c) is automatically executed when a vehicle equipped with saidradar is stationary, and said radar further comprises a temperaturemeasuring means for measuring a temperature, and wherein said methodfurther comprises the steps of: (f) prestoring relations between aplurality of adjustment values for said timing, obtained at differenttemperatures, and said temperatures; (g) automatically adjusting saidtiming based on said prestored relations between said timing adjustmentvalues and said temperatures and on the temperature measured by saidtemperature measuring means; (h) correcting said prestored relationsbetween said timing adjustment values and said temperatures, based onthe timing adjustment value obtained by the automatic execution of saidstep (c).
 8. A radar apparatus having an automatic timing adjustingfunction, comprising: a transmitting amplifier for amplifying a transmitsignal; a receiving amplifier for amplifying a received signal; aduplexer connected to an output side of said transmitting amplifier andan input side of said receiving amplifier; a number N of antennas; a 1:Nswitch, provided between said duplexer and said N antennas, forselecting one of said N antennas and connecting said selected antenna tosaid duplexer; a mixer for mixing a portion of said transmit signal withsaid received signal; a unit stopping modulation of said transmitsignal; a unit setting said receiving amplifier always ON; a unitgenerating a time average of a voltage level output from said mixer; anda unit adjusting, after stopping said modulation and setting saidreceiving amplifier always ON, the timing of said antenna selection insaid 1:N switch relative to the turning on and off of said transmittingamplifier so that said time average becomes maximum.
 9. A radarapparatus having an automatic timing adjusting function according toclaim 8, further comprising a reflective object which, before the timingadjustment by said timing adjusting means, is placed in close proximityto at least one of said N antennas and used to reflect the transmissionbeing radiated from said at least one antenna.
 10. A radar apparatushaving an automatic timing adjusting function according to claim 8,further comprising a divider for dividing the output of said mixerbetween a first branch path for signal processing for radar operationand a second branch path for detection of said voltage level, andwherein said time average generating unit includes a low-pass filter,provided in said second branch path, for generating said time average byintegrating said voltage level output from said mixer.
 11. A radarapparatus having an automatic timing adjusting function according toclaim 8, wherein said radar apparatus is an automotive radar apparatus,and the timing adjustment by said timing adjusting unit is automaticallyexecuted when a vehicle equipped with said radar apparatus isstationary.
 12. A radar apparatus having an automatic timing adjustingfunction according to claim 8, further comprising: a temperaturemeasuring unit measuring a temperature; a unit prestoring relationsbetween a plurality of adjustment values for said timing, obtained atdifferent temperatures, and said temperatures; and a unit automaticallyadjusting said timing based on said prestored relations between saidtiming adjustment values and said temperatures and on the temperaturemeasured by said temperature measuring unit.
 13. A radar apparatushaving an automatic timing adjusting function according to claim 8,wherein said radar apparatus is an automotive radar apparatus, and thetiming adjustment by said timing adjusting unit is automaticallyexecuted when a vehicle equipped with said radar apparatus isstationary, and wherein said radar apparatus further comprises: atemperature measuring unit measuring a temperature; a unit prestoringrelations between a plurality of adjustment values for said timing,obtained at different temperatures, and said temperatures; a unitautomatically adjusting said timing based on said prestored relationsbetween said timing adjustment values and said temperatures and on thetemperature measured by said temperature measuring unit; and a unitcorrecting said prestored relations between said timing adjustmentvalues and said temperatures, based on the timing adjustment valueobtained by the automatic execution of said timing adjustment by saidtiming adjusting unit. timing adjustment by said timing adjusting unit.